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Review

2005
Honda
CR-V Review

Combines the spacious interior of a sport utility vehicle with the handling of a car.

Reviewed by Automotive on
9/11/2005

Overview

The Honda CR-V is designed as an economic option for drivers that want the interior space of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) but are less interested in using it as a true off-road vehicle. The final result is a vehicle that offers handling and interior features similar to a car with the interior space and extra power of an SUV. While it does not have the same off-road capabilities as a full-size SUV, it does handle better off road than most cars.

The main selling point for the Honda CR-V is that is provides the large interior of an SUV, which is the main draw of those vehicles for many drivers, without the limitations most people come to expect from those vehicles. The CR-V is faster and more responsive when driving on paved roads and streets. The interior is better appointed than that found on the more utilitarian SUV designs. As an added bonus, the fuel economy for the Honda CR-V is about the same as a six-cylinder engine car.

The 2005 Honda CR-V is one of the cheapest vehicles in its class but manages to achieve this without making many compromises. Rather than cutting out features to achieve a low price tag, this vehicle focuses on the features drivers of this vehicle want, while it avoids adding too many extraneous features many drivers never use.

The Range

What's New

The 2005 Honda CR-V received some fairly extensive changes from the previous year's model. The biggest change involved redesigns to the airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability control, and car frame. The 2005 CR-V, as a result, is safer in collisions than previous models. The four-speed automatic transmission has been replaced with a five-speed model. The front headlamps have been altered slightly from previous models. The difference is fairly minor, but noticeable when the 2005 CR-V is placed next to an older model.

Exterior

The 2005 Honda CR-V is a four-door vehicle with a rear liftgate. With a full length of 181 inches, the CR-V is smaller than most similarly designed vehicles. The spare tire is mounted on the rear of the vehicle. The 16-inch tires give good traction in harsh conditions. Rear wipers are a standard feature on all models.

Interior

The interior for the Honda CR-V interior is extremely large. With all of the seats folded down, it has 72 cubic feet of cargo space, and has 33.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity when the seats are up. The center console contains a compartment allowing one to store away items without putting them out of reach of the driver.

The entertainment system for the Honda CR-V LX is a CD player with four speakers. The CR-V EX and CR-V Special Edition upgrade this to a six-disc CD player with six speakers. In addition, the CR-V Special Edition has heated leather seats, heated mirrors, and a leather steering wheel as standard features.

Performance & Handling

The Honda CR-V handles similarly to most crossover SUV. Since it's based more heavily on a car chassis than that of a sport utility vehicle, it handles very well on paved roads. The larger size does make it a little less responsive than an actual car, but the difference is almost unnoticeable. The only negative aspect of the vehicle is the lack of a six-cylinder engine option. The four-cylinder engine handles decently, but the acceleration is slightly weaker than a car.

While the Honda CR-V does not experience the same negative qualities of an SUV on the road, it does sacrifice some of the positive aspects of that class of vehicle as well. It can outperform most cars off road, but it does not handle it as effectively as a full-size SUV.

Safety

The Honda CR-V has front and side airbags standard for the driver and passenger and side curtain airbags for front and rear occupants. The driver and passenger seats come with anti-whiplash head restraints to provide further protection in the case of a collision. In addition, four wheel anti-lock brakes are a standard feature on all models. The CR-V received a five-star safety rating in front and side collisions from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA).